In the global gemstone and industrial materials market, lab-grown diamonds are revolutionizing traditional patterns with their high cost-effectiveness and wide applications. As the “heart” of China’s diamond industry, Henan is shining brightly on the world stage. The successful conclusion of the 2025 Diamond Industry Conference once again confirms the industry consensus that “China’s diamonds look to Henan.” Today, let’s discuss the “hard power” of Henan’s diamond industry and analyze how it has become a core force in the global supply chain, combined with export data. 0 “A Henan lab-grown diamond production workshop showcasing advanced manufacturing capabilities” “LEFT” “SMALL”
Industry Foundation: From Birthplace to Global Giant
Henan is the birthplace of China’s first synthetic diamond, laying the foundation for the superhard materials industry since the 1960s. Today, Henan Province has formed a complete lab-grown diamond industry chain, covering upstream raw material production, midstream processing and manufacturing, and downstream application products. Zhengzhou High-tech Zone, as the core cluster, gathers 1,838 related enterprises, including upstream leaders like Bote and Yalong, midstream backbones such as Zhengzhou Third Grinding Institute and Funik, and downstream application companies like Jin Haiwei and Xinya. 0
Data shows that China’s synthetic diamond production accounts for 95% of the global total, with Henan’s output accounting for about 80% of the national total. In the lab-grown diamond field, Henan’s capacity accounts for over 80% nationwide, and production occupies more than one-third. 1 2 In 2024, China’s lab-grown diamond production reached approximately 22 million carats, a year-on-year increase of 144.44%, accounting for 63% of global production. Henan’s contribution is indispensable, with the industry scale approaching 20 billion yuan. 5 0
Why is Henan so strong? On one hand, it benefits from policy support. Henan Province lists the superhard materials industry chain as the top of its 28 key chains and has issued the “Henan Province Action Plan for Cultivating and Strengthening the Superhard Materials Industry (2023-2025),” promoting the industry’s transformation towards high-end, intelligent, and green development. 0 On the other hand, it boasts strong research and talent advantages. Henan has national key laboratories and other platforms, gathering over 70% of the industry’s mid-to-high-end innovation resources, and relies on universities like Zhengzhou University and Henan University of Technology to cultivate a large number of professionals annually. 0
Taking Zhengzhou as an example, its production accounts for one-third of the national total, with significant industrial clustering effects. Areas like Nanyang, Xuchang, and Shangqiu develop collaboratively, forming the most complete superhard materials industry system in the country. Companies like Henan Huanghe Whirlwind Co., Ltd. have mastered the technology for mass-producing high-quality lab-grown diamonds, where a one-carat diamond takes only a week to produce, at a cost far lower than natural diamonds.
Export Performance: Leading Nationwide, Radiating Globally
The strength of Henan’s diamond industry is not only reflected in the domestic market but also in its strong export momentum. In 2023, Henan Province’s lab-grown diamond export value exceeded 2 billion yuan, ranking first nationwide. 0 7 By 2025, this figure has broken through 2.1 billion yuan, showing strong growth momentum. 5 0
In terms of synthetic diamond powder exports, Henan exported 2.385 billion carats in 2024, ranking first nationwide. 0 Non-powder synthetic diamond exports also rose fluctuatingly, reaching 3,399 kilograms in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 73.98%. 0 Overall, Henan’s synthetic diamond export value accounts for 63% of the national total, making it an undisputed export powerhouse. 5
Looking globally, China’s lab-grown diamond rough capacity accounts for over 70% of the world, with Henan occupying up to 80%. 5 0 In 2024, China’s rough diamond imports and exports totaled $122.96 million, a year-on-year increase of 82.11%; finished lab-grown diamond imports and exports totaled $194.6 million, up 78.09%. 0 5 Henan’s products are widely used in aerospace, semiconductor chips, new energy vehicles, and other fields, as well as consumer-grade lab-grown diamond markets, exported to Europe, America, Southeast Asia, and more.
The “Zhengzhou Lab-Grown Diamond” brand is renowned worldwide. The price index and digital platform (www.labgdc.cn) launched by Henan Province’s Lab-Grown Diamond Trading Center, based on real market data, enhance price transparency and supply-demand matching efficiency, promoting the industry from “wild growth” to standardized development. 0 This not only strengthens China’s voice in the global diamond industry chain but also explores linkages with green finance and carbon trading, highlighting environmental value.
Future Outlook: Trillion-Level Industry Poised for Takeoff
Despite challenges such as weak midstream cutting and polishing capabilities and insufficient market awareness, the prospects for Henan’s diamond industry are broad. Experts suggest strengthening upstream and downstream collaboration, technological innovation, and brand building. 5 With the global pursuit of sustainable materials, the lab-grown diamond market is expected to continue expanding. China’s synthetic diamond market scale is projected to grow from $7.8 billion in 2024 to $23.3 billion by 2032. 1
Henan is advancing through the “7+28+N” industry chain cluster construction, gathering over 70% of the province’s key innovation platforms and creating more than 80% of high-tech output value. 0 In the future, it will not only be a production base but also a global diamond trade and innovation center.
Henan’s diamond industry is not just economic hard power but also a model of technological innovation. Its export story narrates the magnificent transformation from “Made in China” to “Created in China.” Investors and practitioners, pay more attention to this “diamond hot land”!
